30 Days of Video Games - BONUS: Why Do You Play Games Pg. 142

[Cola]

DAY CINCO DE MAYO - MEJOR JUEGO INDIE y sí pongo esto a través de un traductor. ¿Qué vas a hacer, demandarme?

 

I don't play a lot of indie games, but one of my recent favorites is Starbound.

 

 

It's a pretty cool game. You choose one of six (soon to be seven) races and explore around the galaxy, collecting resources and getting better weaponry. It's quite a bit like Terraria or Minecraft, but it also adds its own flavor into the mix. You can meet NPCs of other races, or wander into unique structures. Plus, there's a huge amount of planets to visit. It's infinite, if I recall correctly. Each planet has its own ecosystem full of randomly generated creatures. Some are hostile, others are not.

 

It's charming, really. And it has a great soundtrack to boot.

 

 

All this talk of indie gaming makes me remember that I have an unplayed copy of Bastion sitting on my computer... I should get to that.

 

Honorable mentions go to Wayforward's Mighty and Shantae series, also the Bit.Trip series, Cave Story, and Skullgirls.

[Captain Fun]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

Spelunky

In Spelunky, you work your way down through randomly generated worlds seeking treasure. Making it all the way to the bottom and uncovering the game's secrets is hard, and dying is easy. 

 

Like, very easy. Rarely does the game feel unfair when 95% of your deaths are the result of being too hasty, being too slow, or your general carelessness. Honestly, how could you? With Randomly generated worlds the game manages to feel fresh each time, so you aren't trying the same thing over and over. The original is on PC for free, but you can play the new version on Steam, PS4, Xbox360 and Vita. I would recommend it. The game has local co-op if you're looking to laugh and cry with somebody else. The game is simple to play, but it has a lot of depth below the surface. More competetive players can collect gems to earn scores on the leaderboards, or can use them to buy from the underground shops for some useful items. Alternatively, if you don't feel like paying for your items, you can try to steal from the shopkeepers. If you do that, however, every shopkeeper will be immediately hostile to you, and one will wait for you at the end of each level:

You'll pay for your crimes!

 

But really, if you want to make it to the end, you have to make informed decisions. Do you steal this useful item and suffer the consequences? Do you use your last bomb here, blasting your way out of a nasty situation? Do you save the damsel or sacrifice him/her?  Do you stick around in the level to get more gemstones, or will you try to get out before it appears? Make all the right choices, and you'll prevail, and the satisfaction of succeeding in Spelunky when you've become so well acquainted with failure is what makes it my favorite. 

[Shane]

I enjoy Freedom Planet but it's not out yet... So Super Meat Boy it is!

 

 

I really really enjoy platformers, and Super Meat Boy is one of my favourites. The controls are incredibly tight, the level design is top-notch, and the soundtrack is incredible. It has a retro feel while still feeling like a product of 2009. I don't know what else to say; it's a relatively simple game and that's what I love about it.

[T-Min]

Day 5 - Favorite Indie Game

 

I admit, I'm a bit of a scrub when it comes to indie stuff. I'm interested in Dust: An Elysian Tail, but as of now, I can only comment on this:

 

 

RIPPLE DOT ZERO

 

I found out about this game when Wolfy made a topic about it last year. It's actually a free browser game, meaning you can play it for free here. And you know what? You should.

 

Because it's awesome.

 

It's a traditional-styled 2-D platformer, obviously very inspired by Sonic. But more than anything, it reminds me of Sonic CD - the level layouts, more than anything. It's not quite that convoluted, but there's a big emphasis on exploring the environments for pick-ups and collectibles and a lot of freedom. There are also some really neat power-ups and the gameplay is generally really solid. But I think what gets me most about this game is its presentation - the atmosphere, the post-environmental apocalypse feel to all the environments, and the absolutely kickass soundtrack. It all just sucks you into the experience, and it's surprisingly long as well. It's also really challenging if you opt to get everything. The mechanics are simple, but it all just works so well with the experience. Ripple Dot Zero, for the price of zero, is just a full package full of heart, soul, and awesome platforming goodness.

 

So yeah. That's my favorite indie game.

[Wraith]

 

GUACAMELEE!

 

 

I only just finished this game like yesterday but oh my god it was so much goddamn fun. Guacamelee is basically some weird cross between Metroid and an action game and oh my god it works so well. The action is fast paced fun, with the combat constantly testing your skill and keeping you on the edge. The platforming forces you to use every technique you have just to move from one challange to the next. The cast is pretty small and most characters don't get a lot of time in the spotlight, but they prove to to be memorable anyway. The references to other games never stop but they're clever for the most part so it's fine. The artstyle and animation on the characters is so wonderful it feels like you're playing a cartoon. I just can't stop gushing about this game. Ever since I've finished it I've just wanted more. 

 

 

Some runner ups are Cave Story and Freedom Planet, both of which I wish I had time to talk about.Maybe I'll edit this post later and gush about those.

[kalion]

Day 5: INDiiiiie games<3

 I love the indie industry for being the hotbed of interesting ideas and it's even gaining popularity. Makes me wanna jump into this industry..

 

If there's a short and simple game that was unforgettable for me, it's this one.(Journey was interesting but it did do something that's been done in other media..and my PS3 kept overheating mid-game and turning off annoyed me)

 

This went to the basics of game designs in terms of aesthetics. But in that one "weakness", lies this game's greatest strength.

For a game that could look like it came from the gaming's early days, lies one of the greatest narration I've ever heard. But the design does'nt stop there all the blocks have relate-able stories we can understand and empathise with, which translates into some of the goals of some of the levels and even their properties.(specially' near the end) Even the way the blocks are design can reflect their personalities (I think the fat one had confidence issues). All to nicely come together to tell an empathetic story of our courageous programs which were cruelly shut down..

All this in a simple game which have blocks platforming..yes, some of the puzzles were nifty and clever but realistically, that's not the main reason this game is raved about in its circles. (Even if I did enjoy them as I do a good puzzle.)

 

Edit: I have to say I'm eagerly awaiting Transistor myself..*drools*

[The Deleter]

Day 5: Favorite indie game

 

Honestly, the only big indie game I've really played is Trine 2, and while it may have some fun areas, it's honestly way too tedious for me to label as my favorite. Therefore, I'm just going to have to go with one of my 3DS indie titles.

 

 

Nano Assault

 

This title might not count, as they later turned it into a physical release, but it's the best I've got. You play as a microscopic ship in a cluster of cells, with a mission to annihilate any viruses that you come across. Sounds like your average shooter, but you also have to collect three DNA samples from each cluster, adding a puzzle element to the stages sometimes. Think Millipede meets streamlined Zelda. After completing each cluster, you go into either a stage-based boss that plays like the usual stages, or a Star Fox-esque chase boss (Which, by the way, is always the best part of the game.) The controls are great, but there are a few graphical bugs, such as when the 3D is on full blast and the like. Still, it's a pretty well made game for what it is, and is pretty much the only indie game I own that I could consider my favorite.

 

 

 

Until I get my hands on Nitronic Rush, that is.

 

Day 5: Complete

[Solly]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

Robot Entertainment's Orcs Must Die series is pretty brilliant. I think the 2nd game wins out on content but the first game is great too. OMD is an action-strategy series that combines tower defense with 3rd person shooter and action game elements. I personally can't stand any other TD game because I generally find them unexciting, but Orcs bridges the gap by making sure that you're paying attention the entire time. 

 

The goal of the game is to stop monsters from entering the rift to the human world. To do this, you've got an arsenal of weapons you can use, in addition to traps that can be placed on walls, floors and ceilings. Part of the fun of the game is experimenting and learning which of these traps work best in conjunction with others, and on what enemies. You can brute force earlier levels by simply placing down your strongest traps, but the game eventually gets difficult and forces you to be very methodical. More advanced players can also earn better scores by comboing enemies with various traps, weapons and status ailments, so higher level players that know every map like the back of their hand have something to enjoy, too. This is what gives Orcs its appeal- everyone can set their own goals. You can go for high scores, you can play with self-imposed handicaps, or you can try and become as self-sufficient as possible. 

 

The biggest advancement in the second game is co-op play, though.

Killing Orcs with a friend might be easier than it is alone, but it's usually more fun, especially in the game's endless mode. 

 

Robot is currently working on a new game, Orcs Must Die! Unchained. It's a free-to-play fortress siege game with a PvP focus. I'm currently alpha-testing it, and it's shaping up to be fantastic so far, but I do want them to make another traditional PvC game. I recommend checking out the first 2 on Steam because they're a blast.

[Celestia]

Day 5: Fav Indie Game
 
I admittedly haven't played that many indie games, though of the ones I have experienced...
 

 

Cave Story

 

Now admittedly, the graphics are stereotypical "indie platformer" in that they're kind of retro (but still looking good, mind you), but that doesn't bother me. Besides, everything else about the game is amazing.
 
It's kind of hard to describe what it is I like about the story, it seems pretty simple and lighthearted when you start the game (you literally just wake up in a cave, go get a gun, and then end up in some place with some rabbit-y things that talk) but then it becomes clear that things are a lot darker than it seems on the surface. It's certainly not the only game out there--especially an indie platformer, of all genres--to do this, but it's certainly more subtle than most games that do the same thing.
 
The gameplay, in retrospect, kind of reminds me of Metroid, but uh...not at all. The only real similarity is that you jump around and shoot things, plus you get a whole bunch of weapons throughout the game. Usually you should just stick to the most recent and most powerful one, mind you.
 
In any case, you have to travel around the floating island (sounds familiar, eh?) you're on and try and figure out what the hell is going on with this "Doctor" guy that's being a huge jerk to everyone. Along the way you face off against his minions, one of whom is obviously a toaster of some sort that likes to burst through the wall and shout "HUZZAH!" (or "OH YEAH!", depending on the version, but we all know which is superior).
 
...Yes, this game is kind of weird, why do you ask?
 
What's particularly interesting to me is that there's more than one ending, and it depends on whether or not you can rescue one particular character. Whether or not you can do that depends on...your jumping skills, appropriately enough. This also determines whether or not you'll find out about the origins of the player character and what exactly they were doing on the island in the first place...
 
The final bosses are difficult as Hell, by the way. I actually haven't gotten past one in particular, so I technically haven't beaten the game myself yet...yeah, I know, I suck. :')

 

The music is, as usual for games I'm talking about in this thing, amazing. Balrog's theme always makes me smile.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKRCbGdiLLQ

 

 

It's a pretty cool game and I recommend it highly!

 

Honorable mention to The Stanley Parable, I haven't played it myself but watching youtube videos of it screwed with me in ways you can't possibly imagine that game is seriously fucked up made me interested. There's also plenty of indie games that I really want to try, such as Journey which looks gorgeous.
 
Also if fan games that aren't even out yet count to some extent, I'm looking forward to Mother 4 a whole lot. There, obligatory Mother series mention from me, you're welcome.

[Rusty Spy]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

Well this is gonna be a tough one, since for once I can't simply settle mentioning one like usual. In fact, nearly every indie game I've played so far has been easily one of the best games I've played...... so I'm gonna have to give each one equal billing.

 

 

To me, Journey is less a game, and more of an experience. Without a doubt one of the most gorgeous looking video games ever, insanely atmospheric world, and one of the most unique online experiences to date. And despite what I just said, it's even a really fun game in it's own right, with an entertaining puzzle aspect, and fluent control scheme that makes moving around very satisfying. A beautiful game from start to finish.

 

 

Mark of the Ninja was a game that literally sold me on nothing but the trailer, and is one of the best stealth games I've ever seen. Excellently crafted gameplay that puts all emphasis on sneaking passed enemies and not being seen; everything from the sound of your footsteps to the many ninja tools you have at your disposal are all used to manipulate enemy behavior and help execute quick and silent assassinations and avoiding detection. There are always multiple options to sneaking through levels, either choosing to pick off every enemy or using various means to slip past them unnoticed and avoid unnecessary kills, the game is pretty much the quintessential ninja experience.

 

 

If nothing else, Bastion was a game I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. Wonderful artstyle, engaging gameplay that caters to varying playstyles, and an immersive story and world that slowly coaxes you in and gives you just enough backstory to keep you curious without feeling too vague. A wonderfully crafted experience whether you play it for the game or the story, it delivers both perfectly.

 

 

A game I literally never heard of till I saw it on sale on Steam once. Like Mark of the Ninja, I was sold just from watching the trailer, and was not disappointed. Probably the best gameplay of the indie games I've played, the beat-em-up style combat mixed with light RPG elements is ever so satisfying and makes exploring for secrets really fun in this pseudo-Metroidvania world. But what really makes this game, for me, is the music. The story and characters are kinda one note and shallow, but I still was able to feel really invested and get immersed in it's world thanks to it's beautiful soundtrack matched with the picturesque environments. It really says a lot when I've spent time sitting at the map screen, just listening to the music against the midnight campfire. It gives that feeling of an big, epic quest that not many games recreate. And again, the story itself isn't even that deep or long, but what makes it excel above all else is the games stellar atmosphere it creates.

[Johnny Boy]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

Guacamelee.

 

Granted I've only played this game a couple of times, but every time I did felt like magic. I really liked the gameplay mechanics of this and more importantly I really appreciate how it delves into mexican mythology. Then again, I'm a sucker for a game that explores any type of mythology Oh well, bottom line is Guacamelee is a ton of fun and i hope to play it some more in the future.

[-blank-]

I'll be honest; I don't play indie games. Nothing against them, I've just never felt like investing the time into them. (though, I did want to play Journey at one point).

 

 

However...

 

 

 

I have the demo version of this game installed in my computer. I got interested in Minecraft after watching a Let's Play of it. Thought it looked cool, so I thought 'hell, let's give this a try.' Only problem? My laptop is not properly equipped for gaming, so there was a lot of lag. Sad day. =< Still, the concept of the game is pretty damn cool, and for being made of blocks, the graphics are impressively good. If I ever get a more powerful system, I'll be sure to give this another chance. =)

[gato]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Okay, I have to confess something. I don't remember ever investing any time in Indie games until last year (and almost none of them were released yet), mods I've followed a lot, romhacks as well but full fledged games... Nothing comes to my head.

 

As soon as the games I backed release that will pretty much be the first time i actually get to play and enjoy one of these to the fullest (if I ever get enough time to do so, I'll get to that later).

 

 

 

So even if it doesn't count for this day I think for today I'll bring you a story, about one of the games I actually posted as one of my most anticipated titles in the old thread. I'm going to talk about Mane6 and Fighting is Magic.

 

Spoilers because horsies:

 

 

 

This little piece here was the hypest thing in my mind for a big chunk of 2012, a fan collab by the group that is nowadays called Mane6 that amazed bronies (and some fighting game fans alike) everywhere by how much effort they put in it and how professional it looked despite being limited by the game engine they were using.

 

Admittedly, the current pony style is pretty simplistic so you don't need to create mind-blowing graphics and details like the above posted Resogun or maybe Bastion with it's incredibly charming art style. But even in the very alpha esque state this game was something pretty enough to look at (Man6 also stated they were not caring too much about graphical things until they managed to get the core game and its mechanics working as they should).

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-o0Pnj1Tk

The music was freaking ace too!

 

 

The game felt simple enough for everyone to get into it and it also had some interesting mechanics to make each character unique besides the regular movements as supers and that was the magic system, each character had a different way to load the magic meter and each character could make something different with it, some characters based their meta game around this meter (Twilight) and made people think a bit before attack, so like most good fighting games out there it was something easy to learn but hard to master.

 

 

Dat combat pose.

 

 

The game was actually so well put out than even the people at EVO (THE western fighting game event) showed interested at it and decided to push for it by including it in their charity campaign to appear in the main stage of the event (the previous years the game also made it there but not to the main scenario) next to widely renown games like Brawl (which ended up winning the event BTW).

 

Sadly, not all wonder is endless, the game got a C&D just while the EVO charity event was happening rendering months worth of work and hype null. Indeed, things looked pretty grim for fans and Mane6 alike, actually 2 members left the team (tho only 1 of them did it after hearing about the Cease and Desist) and the overall mood was pretty sour (at least in the fandom but I can't feel it was any better for Mane6) but between all the crap a little tweet reignited things up.

 

 

 

 

So the person who pretty much created the show that inspired this game to be made offered to help the crew out of her own free time! By the time these tweets were made Mane6 remained silent and there wasn't any sign of an answer but after a few more days they announced Lauren's introduction to the team, a few days later MikeZ from Labzero (who made the above mentioned Skullgirls) heard of this and commented about how he'd like to give their engine to Mane6 in order to help (and maybe seeing some potential mutual benefit for both parties involved) and he was totally serious about it, so both teams talked a little and decided Labzero would give Mane6 their engine free of charge if the Skullgirls Indiegogo campaign (that was also mentioned above) reached a certain goal, it did (actually, it surpassed it!) and so both teams got back to work in their own projects.

 

After that there has been little talk about the game which is understandable because Mane6 is building everything from scratch (they are making a whole new game, without the ponies and other copyrighted stuff to avoid C&Ds) in a new Engine, not to mention the team probably have to learn about all that stuff developers need to know about making games... Besides making the game (legal junk).

 

Nowadays the project is looking to start its own funding campaign, only the future will tell what awaits Mane6 but I hope it's at least as half as awesome as they are.

 

 

 

 

I mentioned before this long ass spoiler that I started supporting indie games last year, but what were those games? Well, for starters I backed Skullgirls to get Mane6 the free engine, I got a very cool soundtrack and a game I wish I had more time to try (admittedly, I also suck at fighting games despite being a fan of them, so I never completed the tutorial missions :U ), Skullgirls is a very refreshing take on the genre when it comes to it's artistic style, it's a nice game that I can look at and not feel like it reminds me of something else. As an example, I don't think there is another fighting game where you can pull this off:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qcjCnkbROY
 

 

 

The other games I backed were Mighty No.9 because it's an awesome Megaman-esque game in an empty space other companies left and Hover: Revolt of gamers. There is not much to talk about both of this games right now (except that the character design in both of them is pretty cool) but hey! Maybe I'll be talking about one of these 2 the next time one of this threads is made.

 

 

 

EDIT: fixed some derps.

[Komodin]

Day 5 - Favorite Indie Game

 

My favorite indie game, huh? Well, to be honest, I’m not really much of an indie gamer. Not because of some perceived prejudice against indie titles, so much as that, when given the choice, I’d more likely choose a title from an established series over an indie title. Brand loyalty… eh, what are ya gonna do? Still, though, I have played several indie games over the past five or so years. Since most of those have already been discussed, I would like to about a personal favorite of mine that hasn’t really been discussed here.

 

 

Yes, Eversion. If you’ve ever been a TV Troper back in 2009, then you’ve probably heard of this. A simple little platformer title, the story of this game is simple: you, an anthropomorphic flower named Zee Tee, must collect gems and save Princess Nehema from the Goomba-like creatures called Ghulibas. As controls go, they, too, are easy to grasp: use the left and right arrow keys to move, the Z key to jump, X to perform an action, and P to pause. Sounds a bit like every platformer ever, right? I wouldn’t blame you if you thought that--I certainly did when I first played it. Well, there is one important difference with this game, and that involves the action button. 

 

You see, in certain areas of a given levels, there are points where you can use the action button to “evert” your environment, literally peeling it inside out to reveal the layers underneath. The game focuses on using these “eversion” points to traverse the levels. For instance, take a look at this:

 

 

Looks like your typical sugary-sweet platformer level, right? Between the red and pinkish blocks (some of which have bright, happy faces), blue skies, green mini-trees, blue and white clouds and happy little Ghuliba enemies bouncing about, it’s like it’s ripped right out of a Kirby fangame. However, looks can be quite deceiving. By using a forward eversion, as there are points where you can revert the evert, the level will now look something like this:

 

 

Things don’t look so happy now, huh? The blocks look more washed-out purple now, though the ones with faces still look mildly pleased with themselves, and the sky is now cyan with the clouds there hanging by strings, as if they were just decorations. The rolling hills are now craggy mountains, and the mini-trees looks stripped bare from the front. Heck, even the Ghulibas look a little perplexed by what just happened. Go further, and things look even more drastic:

 

 

Oh dear, drastic is a bit of an understatement here. The blocks look even more dried out, with their faces rather neutral. The sky is a duller shade of blue-green than before, with some of the stringed clouds barely hanging on. The cloud platforms, once bright white and unable to stand on, are not only stained urine-yellow but also solid enough for you to stand on. Although the mountains aren’t craggy, they took on a different shape, looking as if they have buck-toothed mouths now. Even the minitrees are dead now, with their leaves completely removed. The Ghulibas look so depressed now--even though they’re still the bad guys here, one can’t help but feel that even they don’t want all this to happen. However, even here, you can evert further, resulting in--

 

 

 

… Whoa. Everything just straight up DIED here. The background clouds and mountains are gone, replaced by that green sun overlooking a stagnant ocean. The blocks are completely decayed and greyed out, with faced ones barely have an expression now. The clouds are so fouled up that they’re back to being unable to stand on. The Ghulibas are now just one-eyed balls lying static on the polluted ground, giving everyone and everything the thousand-yard stare--they have no mouths, and they probably want to scream now.

 

Believe it or not, you can go even FURTHER than this! However, I’d rather not ruin that surprise, so you can go look that up for yourself. All I’ll say is that you’ll be quite surprised by what you see.

 

All told, this is one of my favorite games ever made. Although it’s a little short, the eversions always keep me on my toes, the gameplay is perfectly engaging, the use of suspense here is quite superb, and it’s relatively challenging to fully complete. So, in conclusion, I think you should give this lovely game a try. It’s only $5 on Steam, and trust me, you really will get your money’s worth with this!

[Tori Himemiya]

DAY 5 OF PRESIDENT CROW BEING INDIANA JONES!

I would love to make another Touhou post but I think this thread needs a bit more diversity.

Papers, Please is a somewhat obscure game that gotten some light due to critics, namely Yahtzee and it does leave its mark in video games.

Its basically a game where you file paperwork. The most boring task ever was made into a video game and yet there's so much charm. Basically you're working in a checkpoint where you check everyone's passports and you have to spot errors. Errors vary from a minor spelling error to having the wrong items needed to cross over. But the main charm of it is the setting they throw you in. Its in a dystopian setting where a lot shit happens. And because of events your faced with making moral decisions. Do you not let certain people go so you can get paid, avoid being fired, and have your family alive? Or do you go the distance and let them go. A particularly good example is that you have the option of helping a girl who didn't had the necessary paperwork filled partially because she was being chased by some man. The said man does come back later and inquire about the girl. The man's paperwork is fine but do you stop him or let him go for the sake of having a bigger paycheck.

Its a real moral decision making here and its definitely worth a look.

Ps. It does look like something from MS Dos but that further adds on to how bad this world has it.

[Nast]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

 

The Binding of Isaac

 

Honestly, I don't care much for this game's aesthetics, nor do I find the soundtrack to be anything incredible. Still, this is definitely my favorite as far as indie games go.

 

Binding of Isaac is a game played from a top-down perspective where you control a little boy and kill monsters with your tears, throughout randomly generated levels that are very reminiscent of the original Zelda dungeons in their design. Along the way, you'll find a huge variety of items that will improve your stats (like your health, or the range of your tears), some that will change your method of attack, some that will help find secrets, among others.

 

The beauty of this game is that it's very simple to get into, yet is also a very complex and challenging game, AND it's a totally different experience everytime you play, since most things in the game, like the layout of the levels, which bosses will show up, or the items you will find, are randomly generated. You have to think carefully about which items to pick up, as they could be a nice perk but might also give you a disadvantage later on, or maybe if you don't pick it up you might find an even better item later. Luck plays a significant role in getting good item drops, but more often than not it isn't something that hinders the experience, and when you do manage to find a ton of powerful items, it's incredibly empowering and is one of the biggest joys of this game.

 

The only thing I don't like about this game, as I've said before, is the aesthetics and sound, and I guess the general tone. The game is shock full of crude, morbid and/or gross themes and humor coupled with a lot of religious references, which just isn't my thing. I'm also not a big fan of the art and the animation, and I find the music pretty forgettable. Those are just my opinions though.

 

But yeah. Really great game, one of my favorites even outside of indie games.

 

 

Some honorable mentions:

 

Lone Survivor

This is a pixelated sidescrolling survival horror game. You encounter monsters, look for supplies and try to escape and find out what is happening with the story. The cool thing about it is that the way you play the game (for instance, whether you kill the monsters or find ways around them) will have an effect on your sanity, which will affect different things, like what kind of supplies you'll obtain, or more obviously, the ending. It's pretty cool.

 

Yume Nikki

This game is an interesting one. This is an RPG Maker game where you play as a little girl as she explores her bizarre dreams, looking for effects which give you special abilities. As a game in the purest sense, I actually wouldn't recommend this to anybody, as trying to complete it is an exercise in frustration and damn near impossible without a walkthrough, but the point of it is more for you to immerse yourself in its surreal environments, get lost in them, explore and see what you can find. So to me, it's pretty much the polar opposite of Binding of Isaac, as I love its themes, presentation and all that to death, but don't think it works as a game at all.

 

[Jimbo]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

I can't really say I've played too many indie games, so I'm going to have to go with the one I know the best

 

Minecraft. The 360 version to be exact, because I never got around to buying the PC version. I don't like playing it alone, but it's one of my favorite games to play with a friend because there's just so much to do. It's a nice stress reliever as well, the music is so soothing. There isn't really much else to say, because most of it has been said already.

 

Also as a side note, reading through the day 5 posts makes me realize that I should probably play some of these games. They all look pretty interesting.

[MegasonicZX]

Its an indie game that just came out on console in February and one of the only few indie games I've ever played but I am going to say dustforce. Why? Because in this game your a janitor/ninja hybrid that can clean up stuff and parkour up basically anything at quick speed's, not only is it one of the best precision platformers I've ever played (sans super meat boy) it has a beautiful soundtrack that while not intense, is calming and very relaxing while also fitting the stages to a tee and also sounds really good too.

 

Seriously if you haven't played this game yet, I seriously think all of you should play it, its super good and while the controls take awhile to get used to (they will feel pretty sluggish at first but become natural after awhile) its something that will really click with you after awhile.

[Enesephus]

Edit: Sorry, wrong day (grumble...)

[Silencer226]

Favorite Indie Game?

 

I don't really play a lot of indie games but I suppose Dysfunctional Systems would be an indie VN game series I'm currently into.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ho1vyo8lKk

 

In episode 1 you take get to see things through the eyes of a young girl named Winter. You are partnered with another agent with more experience, his name is Cyrus. Winter is basically apart of this agency that goes around and monitors different worlds, and tries to prevent them from becoming unstable and corrupted. Throughout episode one Winter experiences many trials that make her question what is right and what is wrong. It's a pretty short novel game but it is episodic and part 2 and 3 I believe reached their Kickstarter goal so the continuation is coming later this year.

[Jango]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

Without a doubt, SPELUNKY.

 

 

In Spelunky you are a fearless explorer... You collect gold and gems... You save the girl... You reach the exit for fame and glory. Looks very simple, right? And it is! Except for one thing. This game is freaking hilariously devious. It's a game where you DIE. Many, many, many times.

But! It's not cheap in any way, this game prooves that ALL your actions will have consequences. And God, it is painfull. Painfully funny.

 

It's not a hard game by itself, like I said, it's very simple. But it really shows how we humans can be very careless, greedy and impatient. This 3 factors will be the cause of 99% of your deaths. If you take it slow, collect just the treasures you need, you'll will finish this game with almost no trouble. The real challenge is YOURSELF, and I find this brilliant.

 

So you know you're going to die in this game, right? Lemme give ya some notions:

 

-No level is the same, they are randomly generated, therefore you can't memorize any layout to avoid dying. Sometimes, thanks to this randomizer, some monster will spawn near traps, triggering them and causing madness EVEN before you do something.

 

-Most of the times you will end up dying by a chain reaction of stuff, like this image perfectly illustrates:

 

These are the game's funniest moments, because things can happen in a flash and out of fucking nowhere, sometimes even endless.

I remember one time when I planted a bomb to make a hole in a wall, and a micro-second before it exploded, a living skeleton approached it, and explosion sent his skull flying, right into my face, making me fall in a arrow trap that pushed me off a pit full of spikes. Great stuff.

 

-This game has hundreds of traps, hazards and monsters. And THIS GUY is the worst of them all:

 

 

Looks warmless right? I would say it even looks cute. This fucker has the worst hit-box ever, 2 out of 3 times it's going to bite you before you kill it with your whip, I guarantee.  And since it's too little, it's easy to miss it in the background.

 

-And finally, there's him...

 

 

The shopkeeper. DON'T YOU DARE PISS HIM OFF.

Because he will get you... like... this:

 

 

OUT OF FUCKING NOWHERE.

 

You know you're fucked whenever you hear this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuRRDbVrlwM

 

The music here is great, with some really catchy tunes, and they sound just like a game from the SEGA Genesis era:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t-AyG-Ur48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp24iYAGfKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjI2-cAFJzQ

 

It also features many secrets to discover (some of them requires luck, others making stuff in an especific order), many items to buy and use.

---

In a nutshell, buy this game, it's on Steam, PSN and XBLA, and it's amazing. If you like Super Pitfall, you're gonna love this. The main game has 4 worlds, with 4 levels each, plus 2 secrets worlds. You can also play co-op up to 4 players, making the experience even funnier. But be warned, you may lost some friends.

 

PS.: I haven't finished yet, the farther I got was Temple 2-4.

[Kaabiitorori]

Day 5: Favourite Indie Game

 

Since the early days of the industry, developers were keen to create their own games without the strict control of bigger development teams by sticking with a very reduced development team (or even to the point of being the only person who produced every component of the game) and without the reliance of an external publisher by distributing them on their own terms. Throughout the years, the process of creating an independent game have evolved to better accommodate the needs of these developers thanks to the Internet: bigger budgets can be conceived with the help of crowdfunding, more development kits and game engines licenses are created and distributed as well as easier to license, and due to the raise of digital distribution methods developers can easily publish their games online in comparison to retail. Also in comparison to mainstream development teams, indie developers pursuit innovation, creativity and artistic experimentation, allowing the creation of exceptional game experiences.

 

Unlike the first questions of this 30 Days Of challenge, I haven't played as many indie games to the point of giving a big list of honourable mentions. I can, however, say that games like the hardcore platformer Super Meat Boy, the gorgeous puzzler Braid, and the extremely fun beat 'em up Castle Crashers are considered my really close seconds to favourite. My favourite indie game goes to...

Dust: An Elysian Tail

 

Going back in time to 2009, I was extremely hyped with this game during its participation at Microsoft's Dream Build Play challenge for two reasons. First reason was the pre-alpha build trailer released at the competition which won me over at the art direction and the quality of the animation, as well as the game being Metroidvania-styled; the second reason goes to its creator, Dean Dodrill, who was already familiar to me due to his involvement with the Jazz Jackrabbit series after being a cutscene animator and illustrator for Jazz 2 and for being partly involved with the development of the cancelled project Jazz 3; since I enjoyed the series a lot back in the late 90s (which still remains as one of my many nostalgic favourite game series), hearing the news of Dean Dodrill behind this gem caught my interest even more. This game won the Dream Build Play challenge, which was grated with a publishing contract with Microsoft for an Xbox Live Arcade release, and since then until the release of the game on August 2012 it was 3 years of development and await. All I can say is they were totally worthy.

 

Many reasons are attributed to why Dust: An Elysian Tail is my favourite indie game in recent years. The gameplay is really solid and simple, sharing the characteristic platforming, action, exploration and lite RPG elements of the Metroidvania style. The combat is simple yet fun and engaging, and the controls are tight and responsive on both combat and platforming elements.

 

From the technical standpoint, the game is literally a beauty: the character sprites are really well animated, the effects are impressive and the background work is astonishing; the voice acting is very good for the standards of an indie game and the soundtrack composed by HyperDuck Soundworks and long-time composer Alexander Brandon (known for his past works on several game series such as Jazz Jackrabbit, Unreal or Deus Ex) is a bliss to listen.

 

Story-wise, while its first contact may be quite cliche at first (amnesic character who must find out who the hell is he/she), its development is very well carried as well as the plot twists and how the characters are well connected and developed throughout the story; love how well scripted the game is as well as the dialogue of the characters, with Fidget easily stealing the show in many occasions. The deep theme of the story alongside with how well animated the game and the few cutscenes are give the feeling of watching an animated show or film from the early-to-mid '80s and, in fact, does resemble some of Don Bluth's notable works such as An American Tail or The Secret of NIMH. Oh, and the game itself is full of references to many classic video games series such as Castlevania as well as some recent indie games too.

 

All in all, Dust: An Elysian Tail is an incredibly well crafted game and the result of a one man's hard work and commitment (outside of the voice acting, music and part of the writing, Dean Dodrill programmed, designed and animated everything in this game). It's a game that gives the Metroidvania-styled gameplay another exceptional entry in their catalog ready to be explored and which I can assure you will enjoy if you ever desire to give it a go; truth be told, I would recommend it to anyone! All I can say is that after playing Dust I am really looking forward to see how Dean Dodrill will expand the universe of Elysian Tail with more games and also with the culmination of the animated film that he had in the works way before Dust was even in the works.

[Sir Tynen]

Day 5: Favorite Indie Game

 

Without a single shred of doubt, it has to be Cave Story.

 

 

It may not be the most thought-provoking, the most beautiful looking, or even the most experimental indie game out there, but the amount influence it created for the indie scene is exponential. Made entirely by one man, it, and some others at the time, paved the way for many other independent individuals to try their hand at making video games, just like the big wigs. 

 

But enough about that, let's talk about the game itself. Cave Story is a Metroidvania-styled game, in which you, a robot, explore the island of the Mimiga, who are essentially bunny people. As the story progresses, you learn more about the island and it's inhabitants, the evil-doers who have enslaved this poor race, your origins and the only other person of your kind, Curly Brace, as well the secrets hidden within the island itself. It's quite the adventure, with multiple endings that incentivize replayability. The characters that you meet are all great, with distinct personalities and quirks, and story is pretty good as well.

 

The gameplay is rather straightfoward, since it's a "Shoot it until it dies!" kind of ordeal, with an array of unique weapons that you acquire for your arsenal. Enemies and especially boss fights test how versatile you are with your weaponry, often involving a bit of strategy, rather than just mindless shooting. There's lots to explore and secrets to be found, and there's bound to be something you'll miss you're first playthrough. It is also a very challenging game that only gets harder and harder the more you play.

 

All in all, Cave Story is just a superb title that, as of today, I've purchased 3 times now (each one being a different version). But it doesn't bother me in the slightest, because the game is just that good. I'm very fond of this title, to say the least. And so I depart, with many huzzahs in hand.

 

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

i read the responses and I never play a indie game before. I dont even understand what they are and how they work. So I dont have a answer for this day. Im sorry. I have hear of spelunky before and it look like a pretty intresting game. also you can switch the damsels from what i see and it was funny (switch to girl to a dog or a caveman). and you can thow he captive at the enemy. i want to play.

[turbojet]

Day 5

The best Stealth game ever. What about Metal Gear Solid? Nope. Splinter Cell? Who? Assassin's Creed? HAHAHAHHA Get the fuck out of here. Batman Arkham series? Puh-LEASE!  Thief? Okay, you might have got me on that one, but this fucking game! Holy shit. It has every stealth mechanic that you ever thought of. Splinter Cell's emphasis on staying out of the light? Yep. Assassin's Creed Free Running? Yep. Batman Arkham series emphasis on torturing and taking out mooks? You damn right. Metal Gear's alert "!" noise when spotted and a timer to get out of dodge? Yep. It also has a sophisticated noise system in which the enemies can hear your footsteps thus emphasizing sneaking. This game takes creativity of stealth to another fucking level. Love this game.